KEY INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 131, 4 June 1936, Page 24

KEY INDUSTRIES

PROTECTION IN BRITAIN i The needs of Imperial defence is the principal reason given by a Board ' of Trade Committee for recommend- 1 ing that the "Key Industries" Duties 1 shall be continued for another ten years, says the "Daily Telegraph." ! These duties were imposed in 1921, under the Safeguarding of Industries < Act, to protect the manufacture in ' this country of certain articles which < war experience had shown, to be necessary. The articles are such as, in prewar days, were normally imported ; from sources which were closed when war broke out. "In no industries," says the report which was issued last night, "are research and development of more vital importance than in those upon which the country is specially dependent for its defence. "We are satisfied, with some minor exceptions, that research is being continuously undertaken, and that large sums of money are being annually expended for this purpose. "We have noted, however, that in some industries there is a lack of coordination in the search .among the producing units. It appears to us that if there were closer co-operation between them in this respect, the money devoted to research could be spent more effectively by planning the work on a more comprehensive basis. "In particular, we feel that where firms are, of necessity, brought into close contact with the Defence Departments, it should not be difficult to ensure better co-ordination." The committee expressed the opinion that the protection afforded to the key industries has fostered development to J

an extent that would not otherwise have been possible. Output has been multiplied in many cases and a considerable export trade had been built up. It is observed that there was formerly a tendency to assume that the then undeveloped state of the key industries was due to lack of ability to engage directly in industries based on scientific research. "But," states the report, "the expansion since 1921, and the present variety and quality of British products, seem to us to prove that, given equal opportunities, our manufacturers are at least ,the equal of their competitors in enterprise, in craftsmanship, and in their ability to apply the results of scientific research. "A few specialised industries, the efficiency of which depends on continuous scientific research, must always remain in a difficult position as regards defence, at whatever rates duties may be fixed. Their products in normal times can never create more than a limited demand. .•. . The real problem is how to deal with them so that their production may be capable of rapid extension at short notice. The* report states that the evidence submitted by the Service Departments was unanimous in desiring the continuance of the present procedure. The Committee recommend that provision should be made for application by manufacturers to the Import Duties Advisory Committee for changes in the duties. This would be followed by a report to the Treasury, who would act, in their discretion, instead of waiting, as at present, for the annual Finance Bill.

■ When the guests had assembled for a recent wedding in Robakova, Poland, the bride was found to have committed suicide by poisoning.